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On the road again! General contractor Tom Silva visits homeowners who are in search of a modest way to hide their ugly back stoop. Back in the barn loft he shows new adhesives and fasteners as well as traditional decking options homeowners can consider when planning a deck. Another homeowner writes in who has a backyard full of mosquitoes. Landscape contractor Roger Cook and host Steve Thomas demonstrate a new product that promises to rid homeowners of the problem and the itch once and for all! [26 minutes]

At the Ask This Old House barn loft, host Steve Thomas consults painting contractor Jim Clark on a letter from a homeowner looking for ways to clean and maintain old paintbrushes. General contractor Tom Silva makes a Housecall to a young couple that need help filling in the gaps in their 160-year-old pine floor. Tom shows them how sisal and jute rope do the job. [26 minutes]

From the Ask This Old House barn loft, general contractor Tom Silva and host Steve Thomas demonstrate two types of floor sanders: a traditional drum sander and a random orbital sander. Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey travels to an historic district in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for a House call and helps a viewer replace a corroded pipe. Back in the barn loft, Tom gives Steve a lesson in proper caulking technique. [26 minutes]

Ask This Old House general contractor Tom Silva makes a House call to a young couple who need help repairing a cracked plaster ceiling in their condominium. At the barn loft, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey and host Steve Thomas respond to a homeowner's inquiry on how to rebuild a toilet to prevent it from continuously filling. Landscape contractor Roger Cook is also on the road visiting a homeowner and helping them to remove an old tree stump from the front yard with a stump grinder. Back in the loft, Tom replaces a broke pane of glass and reglazes a window sash. [26 minutes]

Ask This Old House general contractor Tom Silva hits the road and visits a homeowner with a sagging floor. Together, they jack up the failing beam, pour new concrete footings, and install several new lally columns. Back at the barn loft, landscape contractor Roger consults with chainsaw expert Tim Ard and answers a viewer's question on the best ways to sharpen and maintain saws. [26 minutes]

At the Ask This Old House loft, general contractor Tom Silva shows host Steve Thomas how to cut wooden bung holes and install them in decking. Painter Jim Clark visits a homeowner to demonstrate why the new paint in her bathroom is cracking and peeling. Back in the barn loft, the Ask This Old House crew examines two unfamiliar objects while trying to guess what they're used for, and plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey then describes different types of plumbing torches. To wrap-up, Tom rings the doorbell of a young couple in need of a House call to help them build an attractive outdoor lattice.
[26 minutes]

General contractor Tom Silva hits the road on a House call and replaces a rotting basement window and installs a new dryer vent for a homeowner. Back in the Ask This Old House loft, painting expert Jim Clark shows the proper technique for painting a pre-hung six-panel door. Electrician Allen Gallant visits homeowners and installs a new power outlet in their dining room, and landscape contractor Roger Cook shows host Steve Thomas how to replace the string on a weed trimmer. [26 minutes]

In the Ask This Old House loft, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey and host Steve Thomas take apart an old washing machine to determine why it it's making a loud rumbling sound. Landscape contractor Roger Cook pays a visit to a homeowner and uses a pressure washer to clean off his slippery brick walkway. Back in the loft, Steve, general contractor Tom Silva, Roger, and Richard examine two unfamiliar objects and try to guess how they're used. Tom demonstrates different types of spirit levels, and Richard sets out to help a homeowner with a leaky kitchen faucet. [26 minutes]

In the Ask This Old House loft, landscape contractor Roger Cook and garden tool expert Paul Schneider discuss different types of hand pruners. General contractor Tom Silva helps two homeowners repair and reinstall their broken shutters. Back in the loft, host Steve Thomas, Tom, Roger, and plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey examine two unfamiliar objects and try to guess how they're used. Richard shows Steve several models of instantaneous water heaters, and they then visit a local homeowner to examine his tankless hot water system. [26 minutes]

In the Ask This Old House loft, general contractor Tom Silva shows different types of store-bought sawhorses and teaches host Steve Thomas how to build a pair from scratch. Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey hits the road and installs a new frost-proof outdoor faucet for a homeowner. Back in the loft, Steve, Tom, landscape contractor Roger Cook, and Richard examine two unfamiliar objects and try to guess how they're used. Roger visits a homeowner and demonstrates how to collect and compost leaves. [26 minutes]

In the loft, painting contractor Jim Clark shows the several different types of paint sprayers and demonstrates the proper technique for using a sprayer to paint a shutter. Host Steve Thomas enlists the help of chimney expert Mark Schaub to replace a broken fireplace damper for Abby Yozell of Sherborn, Massachusetts. Back in the loft, Steve, general contractor Tom Silva, landscape contractor Roger Cook, and plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey examine two unfamiliar objects and try to guess how they're used. Then, Steve and Roger head outside to demonstrate different ways to split logs for firewood. [26 minutes]

Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey visits homeowners Stacey and Dick Davis in Concord, Massachusetts, and installs a new shower faucet that will eliminate the chance of scalding. Landscape contractor Roger Cook and host Steve Thomas head outside to test the latest robotic lawn mowers. General contractor Tom Silva and an animal control expert visit Judy O'Gara in Millis, Massachusetts, and help her "critter-proof" her house. [26 minutes]

In the loft, painting contractor Jim Clark shows host Steve Thomas the proper way to paint the exterior of a double-hung window. Landscape contractor Roger Cook helps homeowners Paul and Claire Blumenfeld aerate and fertilize their lawn at their Arlington, Massachusetts, home. Then Roger, Steve, general contractor Tom Silva, and plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey examine two unfamiliar objects and try to guess how they're used. Tom then shows Steve different ways to hang a picture on a hollow wall. [26 minutes]

General contractor Tom Silva visits homeowners Roy and Sandra Lynn of Concord, Massachusetts, and shows them several products that are designed to keep leaves and other debris out of rain gutters. Then Tom, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Roger Cook and host Steve Thomas examine two unfamiliar objects and try to guess how they're used. Richard makes a House call to Burlington, Massachusetts, homeowners Steve and Maureen Parker and helps them repair their wobbly toilet. [26 minutes]

General contractor Tom Silva helps Concord, Massachusetts, homeowner John Hill prevent drafts near his windows by installing insulation around the weight pockets. Then Tom, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Roger Cook and host Steve Thomas examine two unfamiliar objects and try to guess how they're used. Richard makes a House call to help homeowner John Johnstone of Billerica, Massachusetts, install a sewage ejection pump for a new basement toilet. [26 minutes]

Host Steve Thomas and landscape contractor Roger Cook head outside to demonstrate different types of snow shovels and snow throwers. Back in the Ask This Old House loft, Steve, Roger, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey and general contractor Tom Silva examine two unfamiliar objects and try to guess how they're used. Tom then visits homeowner Bernice Robinson of Dorchester, Massachusetts, and helps her repair the broken sash cords on an old window. [26 minutes]

Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey is off to Chicago to help homeowner Dave Skena install a new garbage disposer. Back in the loft, Richard, general contractor Tom Silva, landscape contractor Roger Cook and host Steve Thomas examine two unfamiliar objects and try to guess how they're used. Outside the barn, Roger and hearing protection expert Dr. Mark Stephenson test the decibel level of several power tools. Inside, they show Tom several new types of hearing protection. [26 minutes]

General contractor Tom Silva helps Chicago-area homeowners Daryl and Catherine Katauskas repair their exterior door jamb by installing a dutchman. Back in the loft, Tom, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Roger Cook and host Steve Thomas examine two unfamiliar objects and try to guess how they're used. Then Richard prevents a basement from flooding by installing a leak sensor and automatic water shut-off valve on a water heater. [26 minutes]

New host Kevin O'Connor arrives at the barn (a little late) and meets landscape contractor Roger Cook, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and general contractor Tom Silva. Roger, Richard, and Tom welcome Kevin to the team and put him right to work. First, Tom and Kevin discuss different types of deadbolts and demonstrate how to install one on a solid wood door. Then Roger makes a House call to help homeowner Paul Garside in Watertown, Massachusetts, trim his hedges. In Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, Richard and Kevin visit homeowner Jinny Troiano to fix a heating system that can't provide enough hot water to fill a bathtub. [26 minutes]

General contractor Tom Silva visits homeowner Christian Dierkes in Arlington, Massachusetts, to help him secure a shaky newel post at the top of his stairway. Back in the loft, Tom, landscape contractor Roger Cook, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and host Kevin O'Connor try to guess quirky objects during a "What is it?" segment. Then Richard makes a House call and finds a 50-year-old water heater that's dangerously close to the end of its life. Just in time, he replaces it with a new model designed to meet strict, new national safety regulations. [26 minutes]

General contractor Tom Silva shows host Kevin O'Connor how to repair different size holes in drywall. Tom and Kevin are then joined by plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey and landscape contractor Roger Cook as they try to guess quirky objects during a " What is it?" segment. Making a House call in Newton, Massachusetts, Richard helps homeowner Kent Portney replace a large 1920's wall-mounted toilet with a new model designed to fit his existing flange. [26 minutes]

Landscape contractor Roger Cook helps Cambridge, Massachusetts, homeowner Rob Faris install a backyard drywell to handle the torrent of the rainfall from his roof gutters. Back in the loft, Roger, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, general contractor Tom Silva and host Kevin O'Connor try to guess quirky objects during a " What is it?" segment. Then Tom makes a House call to Newton, Massachusetts, and shows homeowners Sal and Joanne Scarpato how to install a safety grab bar in their bathtub. [26 minutes]

General contractor Tom Silva shows host Kevin O'Connor how to install interior window trim, including the stool, stops, apron, and casing. Landscape contractor Roger Cook enlists the help of landscape architect Tom Wirth to help homeowner Marie Gibbs in Canton, Massachusetts, hide a group of unsightly utility boxes in front of her reproduction saltbox style house. Back in the loft, Roger, Kevin, Tom, and plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey try to guess quirky objects during a "What is it?" segment. Then, Richard shows homeowner Rick Thompson and his mother Jeanne in Revere, Massachusetts, a simple fix for the broken spray hose on their kitchen faucet. [26 minutes]

Landscape contractor Roger Cook helps homeowner Roseann Ferrini in Westwood, Massachusetts, replace the ailing grass in her front yard with a new groundcover of ivy and pachysandra. Then, general contractor Tom Silva is off to Florida to help Miami homeowner Marc Jacobson open his double-hung windows that are painted and swollen shut. [26 minutes]

General contractor Tom Silva helps homeowners John and Mary Kiley in Westwood, Massachusetts replace the wall-to-wall carpeting in their son's bedroom with a cost effective pre-finished hardwood floor. Back in the loft, Tom explains the pros and cons of different types of floors, including pre-finished engineered floors, laminates, and hardwoods. Then, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey heads to Minneapolis, Minnesota, to help homeowner Anne McCandless replace a rusty bathroom sink stopper. [26 minutes]

In Woburn, Massachusetts, landscape contractor Roger Cook teaches homeowner Brian Grace the trick to removing poison ivy from his backyard without using herbicides. Back in the loft, Roger, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, general contractor Tom Silva, and host Kevin O'Connor try to guess quirky objects in the "What is it?" segment. Then, Tom makes a House call to homeowner Dan Nutton to weave new cedar shingles on an outside corner of his house in Lowell, Massachusetts. [26 minutes]

With the help of chimney expert Mark Schaub, homeowner Terry Peterson in Dracut, Massachusetts, repairs the water heater flue in his chimney, keeping fireplace smoke from entering the basement. Back in the loft, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, general contractor Tom Silva, landscape contractor Roger Cook, and host Kevin O'Connor try to guess quirky objects in the "What is it?" segment. Making a House call, Richard visits homeowner Ajay Chebbi to install an "anti-sweat" valve to prevent condensation on a toilet tank. [26 minutes]

Unable to install a handrail in his split-level stairway, homeowner Leverett Flint in Winchester, Massachusetts, solves the problem with help from general contractor Tom Silva. Back in the loft, Tom, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Roger Cook, and host Kevin O'Connor try to guess quirky objects in the "What is it?" segment. Then, in Melrose, Massachusetts, Roger shows homeowners Mario and Jennifer Finocchiaro how to transplant a large Rhododendron to another area of their yard. [26 minutes]

Landscape contractor Roger Cook travels to Agua Dulce, the California desert outside of Los Angeles, to repair homeowner Sherry Steele's drip irrigation system. With the help of specialist Bob Galbreath, they fix the system and restore water to the plants surrounding her home. Back in the loft, Roger, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, general contractor Tom Silva, and host Kevin O'Connor try to guess quirky objects in the "What is it?" segment. Making a House call to Melrose, Massachusetts, Richard and tile expert Joe Ferrante help homeowner Bobby DiFraia repair his leaky bathtub once and for all. [26 minutes]

Eager for a House call, viewer Matthew Guski from Chicago, Illinois, works with general contractor Tom Silva to silence the squeaky hardwood floors in his apartment. Back in the loft, Tom, landscape contractor Roger Cook, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and host Kevin O'Connor try to guess quirky objects in the "What is it?" segment. Then, Roger helps homeowner Melanie Hale build a set of timber stairs on a short slope of her front yard in Amesbury, Massachusetts. [26 minutes]

In North Reading, Massachusetts, landscape contractor Roger Cook helps homeowner Anthony Manupelli install a beautiful brick walkway in front of his home. Back in the loft, Roger explains how to use a screed to create a level surface in a bed of sand. Then, Roger, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and host Kevin O'Connor try guess quirky objects in the "What is it?" segment. Responding to a viewer's e-mail, Tom teaches Kevin different ways to cut a perfect miter in wood trim. [26 minutes]

Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey and water specialist Mike Barone show homeowner Marcia Coffin in Sudbury, Massachusetts how to examine her water quality and discuss installing a water softener and filter. Back at the loft, Richard, general contractor Tom Silva, landscape contractor Roger Cook, and host Kevin O'Connor guess quirky objects in the "What is it?" segment. Then, Tom makes a House call to an apartment in Newton, Massachusetts, to help Alison O'Maley replace a rotten board in her oak hardwood flooring. [26 minutes]

General contractor Tom Silva shows homeowner Meg Picornell of Sudbury, Massachusetts, how to snake wires through an exterior wall of her house. Back at the loft, Tom, landscape contractor Roger Cook, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and host Kevin O' Connor try to guess quirky objects in the "What is it?" segment. Then, Roger teaches Kevin the best way to plant a magnolia tree. [26 minutes]

In need of a tutorial, host Kevin O'Connor learns from general contractor Tom Silva how to cut a pane of glass properly. Then in Carlisle, Massachusetts, landscape contractor Roger Cook plants climbing vines to soften the look of the homeowner's fieldstone wall. Back in the loft, Tom, Roger, Kevin, and plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey try to guess quirky objects in the "What is it?" segment. Then, Richard helps viewers Elisabeth and Fritz Nelson install a portable air conditioning unit in their attic apartment in Rowley, Massachusetts. [26 minutes]

In the hope of saving money on heating costs this winter, homeowner George Dailey from Lancaster, Massachusetts, calls on plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey to install a new programmable thermostat. Back at the loft, Richard, general contractor Tom Silva, landscape contractor Roger Cook, and host Kevin O'Connor try to guess quirky objects in the "What is it?" segment. Then, Tom shows homeowner Cristen Farrell how to repair a cracked plaster and lath wall in her Andover, Massachusetts, home. [26 minutes]

In the Watertown, Massachusetts, apartment of Liz and Denny Bromley, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey replaces an air vent and repairs the shut-off valve on a steam radiator. Back at the loft, Richard, general contractor Tom Silva, landscape contractor Roger Cook, and host Kevin O'Connor try to guess quirky objects in the "What is it?" segment. Then, Roger helps a Pepperell, Massachusetts, homeowner prepare his raised garden beds for the winter. [26 minutes]

Off on a House call, general contractor Tom Silva helps Somerville, Massachusetts, homeowners Rachel and Jason Evans install a curved basecap molding in their stairwell. Then master electrician Allen Gallant shows host Kevin O'Connor how to purchase electrical wire by the foot. Back at the loft, Tom, Kevin, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook try to guess quirky objects in the "What is it?" segment. Looking for more than just foliage from their maple trees, the Gilfeather family from Topsfield, Massachusetts, learns from Roger how to collect sap and turn it into maple syrup. [26 minutes]

Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey heads to Framingham, Massachusetts, to show homeowner Scott Wadland how to prepare his bathroom for remodeling. After the bathroom is transformed, Richard returns to help Scott install radiant heat. Back in the loft, Richard, general contractor Tom Silva, landscape contractor Roger Cook, and host Kevin O'Connor try to guess quirky objects in the "What is it?" segment. Stumped on how to prepare his aluminum siding for a new paint job, homeowner John Chernis from Arlington, Massachusetts, learns the right technique from painting expert Jim Clark. [26 minutes]

Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey examines the corroded copper pipes of Medford, Massachusetts homeowner Richard Bradley. With the help of a materials engineer, they identify the source of the corrosion: a rusty hot water heater. Back in the loft, Richard, general contractor Tom Silva, landscape contractor Roger Cook, and host Kevin O'Connor try to guess quirky objects in the "What is it?" segment. Then, to conserve energy during a bitterly cold winter, homeowner Josh Frances from Stoneham, Massachusetts, learns from Tom how to replace the worn-out weather stripping around his kitchen door.
[26 minutes]

When a gust of wind blew the storm door off of Dennis and Brenda Finn's Wilmington, Massachusetts, home, they wrote to Ask This Old House for help. General contractor Tom Silva answers the call, showing them how to repair the damaged jamb and install a new storm door. Back in the loft, Tom, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Roger Cook, and host Kevin O'Connor try to guess quirky objects in the "What is it?" segment. Then, Roger helps Kevin choose the right garden tools for his spring cleanup. [26 minutes]

Our first House call takes us to Beverly, Massachusetts, where landscape contractor Roger Cook helps smooth out a few rough edges on a lawn for new homeowners Todd and Chrissy Fratzel. Then, it's up to the Ask This Old House loft for a lesson or two on drill bits from general contractor Tom Silva. While inside, Tom, Roger, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and host Kevin O'Connor ask, "What is it?" Then, Kevin visits the pros - Boston's own firefighters - to learn all about fire extinguishers. [26 minutes]

Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey makes a House call in Wellesley, Massachusetts to help homeowner Ziad Tarawneh replace the trap under his bathroom sink. Then, back in the loft, landscape contractor Roger Cook shows host Kevin O'Connor a few design options for laying out a brick walkway. Later, general contractor Tom Silva shows homeowners Rudd Coffey and Melissa Liazos of Watertown, Massachusetts how to make their cracked plaster ceiling look like new by covering it with drywall. [26 minutes]

Outside the loft, landscape contractor Roger Cook mends a few fences with teenage neighbor Amanda Rao. Back in the loft, Roger, along with general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and host Kevin O'Connor ask, "What is it?" Then Richard gets a homeowner out of hot water by fixing an anti-scald mixing valve in her shower. And, later, Tom shows us how to upgrade an old drill by installing a "keyless" chuck. [26 minutes]

General contractor Tom Silva visits homeowners David and Patti Dobrindt in Milton, Massachusetts to help them cut a pass-through in their kitchen wall. Then Tom, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Roger Cook, and host Kevin O'Connor ask, "What is it?" In West Roxbury, Massachusetts Rich solves the mystery of the continuously-running toilet for homeowner Peter Fay. [26 minutes]

General contractor Tom Silva shows host Kevin O'Connor how to remove bolts and screws with stripped or damaged heads. Then, landscape contractor Roger Cook visits homeowner Lauren Speisman of Waltham, Massachusetts, to help create an edge along a concrete walkway using "jumbo" cobblestones. Back in the loft, Tom, Roger, Kevin and plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey ask "What is it?" as they identify unknown objects. Then Tom heads to Wenham, Massachusetts, to help homeowner Francine Molay jack-up the roof of her front porch and fix a rotting post. [26 minutes]

General contractor Tom Silva helps spruce up the front of homeowner Stacy Keller's Acton, Massachusetts house by building window boxes for flowers. Then Tom, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Roger Cook and host Kevin O'Connor ask "What is it?" as they identify unknown objects in the ASK THIS OLD HOUSE loft. Off to Needham, Massachusetts, Roger installs sod in homeowner Peter Burdick's backyard, giving him a new lawn just in time for his family's annual barbecue. [26 minutes]

General contractor Tom Silva helps homeowners Rich and Sarah Paisner of Brighton, Massachusetts, get organized by installing adjustable shelves on the wall of their den. Back in the loft, Tom, along with plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Roger Cook and host Kevin O'Connor ask "What is it?" as they identify unknown objects. Then, Roger is joined by soil expert Roberta Clark from the University of Massachusetts for some tips on testing soil before planting. In Tewksbury, Massachusetts, Richard gets homeowner Paige Impink into some hot water by installing a hot water re-circulator pump in her upstairs bathroom. [26 minutes]

General contractor Tom Silva heads to sunny Los Angeles, California, where he helps homeowner Joshua Tano repair some cracked stucco on the exterior of his house. Back in the loft, Tom, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Roger Cook and host Kevin O'Connor ask, "What is it?" as they identify unknown objects. Back in New England, Roger shows Kevin how to keep a lawnmower humming all summer long by cleaning underneath the deck. In Bedford, Massachusetts, Richard helps water-logged homeowner Karen Kostegan install a pump to remove condensate from her basement dehumidifier. [26 minutes]

General contractor Tom Silva heads to the windy city suburb of Park Ridge, Illinois, where he helps homeowner Richard Westphal replace the broken window pane in an exterior door. Back in the loft, Tom and glass expert Larry Rosenfield show host Kevin O'Connor different types of safety glass. Afterwards, Tom and Kevin, along with plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscaping contractor Roger Cook ask, "What is it"? Then Roger is off to Brookline, Massachusetts to "let the sunshine in" for homeowner Elizabeth Choi by pruning her Pin Oak tree with the help of arborist Matt Foti. [26 minutes]

General contractor Tom Silva helps homeowner Tarah Hirschey of Wellesley, Massachusetts make her old windows more efficient by installing new storm windows. Then, landscape contractor Roger Cook offers tips for getting your shrubs ready for winter. Afterwards, Tom and Roger, along with plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and host Kevin O'Connor ask "What is it?" in the Ask This Old House loft. Finally, Richard heads to New York City where he meets up with home inspector Stephen Gladstone and homeowners Roy and Sophia Pachecano for some potentially life-saving lessons on carbon monoxide detectors. [26 minutes]

In the Ask This Old House loft, general contractor Tom Silva shows host Kevin O'Connor a few ways to recreate different moulding profiles. Then, landscaping contractor Roger Cook heads to Skokie, Illinois where he has some "uplifting" advice for a homeowner with a sinking brick patio. After that, Tom and Roger are joined by plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey and host Kevin O'Connor to guess "What is it?" in the Ask This Old House loft. Then, painting contractor Jim Clark shows Kevin and homeowner Caroline Pooler of Andover, Massachusetts a new way to strip wallpaper. [26 minutes]

Homeowner Martin D'Agostino of Swampscott, Massachusetts receives a visit from general contractor Tom Silva who shows him how to repair and replace his rotting deck balusters. Then, Tom, along with plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Roger Cook, and host Kevin O'Connor, ask "What is it?" in the Ask This Old House loft. Afterwards, Richard heads off to Salem, Massachusetts to hook up a refrigerator's ice-maker and water dispenser for homeowner Joe Cole. [26 minutes]

Landscape contractor Roger Cook shows homeowner Doug Ferguson of Hudson, Massachusetts, how to recycle his yard waste through composting. They visit a compost bin test site where they meet compost expert Ann McGovern from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. Then Roger and general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey and host Kevin O' Connor ask, "What is it?" in the ASK THIS OLD HOUSE loft. Later, Richard helps homeowner Kate Smukler of Arlington, Massachusetts, remove an old cast-iron house trap on her main sewer line so that a clog can be easily cleared. [26 minutes]

General contractor Tom Silva helps homeowner Mark Andrews of Charlestown, Massachusetts, level an uneven concrete floor so that he can install hardwood flooring. Then Tom and plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey landscape contractor Roger Cook and host Kevin O'Connor ask, "What is it?" in the ASK THIS OLD HOUSE loft. Then, Richard shows homeowner Jenna Williams of Rex, Georgia, a simple repair for a leaky water shut-off valve. Up in the loft, Tom teaches Kevin about air-compressors and how to select the right one for the job. [26 minutes]

Landscape contractor Roger Cook heads down to Alpharetta, Georgia, to help homeowner Dale Eneberg shop for a new riding lawnmower. Then Roger, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, general contractor Tom Silva and host Kevin O'Connor ask, "What is it?" in the ASK THIS OLD HOUSE loft. Later, Tom replaces a rotting wooden threshold for homeowners Steve Chapman and Maggie Hale of Arlington, Massachusetts. Back in the loft, Richard shows Kevin how garbage disposers work and explains how to keep them working like new. [26 minutes]

Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps homeowner Tom Pulkowski of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, clear a clogged vent stack with the aid of a fiberoptic plumbing snake. Then Richard, landscape contractor Roger Cook, general contractor Tom Silva and host Kevin O' Connor ask, "What is it?" in the ASK THIS OLD HOUSE loft. Off to a HOUSE call, Roger helps homeowner Dennis Cronin of Duxbury, Massachusetts, build an ice skating rink in his backyard. [26 minutes]

In the loft, general contractor Tom Silva shows host Kevin O'Connor a few tricks for using one of the most basic tools, a tape measure. Master electrician Allen Gallant visits homeowner Kristen Berger of Leominster, Massachusetts, and brightens up a dimly lit basement with new fluorescent fixtures. Then Tom and Kevin, along with plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey and landscape contractor Roger Cook, ask, "What is it?" in the ASK THIS OLD HOUSE loft. Later, Kevin shows Roger a software package that can be used to create a three-dimensional landscape plan. Lastly, Richard makes a HOUSE call to homeowner Wendy Smith in Duxbury, Massachusetts, and shows her how to replace the banged-up aluminum cover on an old baseboard heater. [26 minutes]

General contractor Tom Silva makes a HOUSE call to Atlanta, Georgia, to show homeowner Terry Andrews how to use masonry fasteners to install window boxes on his brick townhouse. Next, Tom, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Roger Cook and host Kevin O'Connor ask, "What is it?" in the ASK THIS OLD HOUSE loft. Then Richard shows Kevin several different ways to make copper pipe connections, including a new solderless system. Lastly, Roger helps homeowner Alan Lear of Carlisle, Massachusetts, install a perimeter drain to catch rainwater running off his roof. [26 minutes]

The fourth season of Ask This Old House kicks off with a House call from landscape contractor Roger Cook who guides a homeowner through the repair of a loose flagstone in his mortared front walkway. Then, Roger, along with general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and host Kevin O'Connor ask "What is it?" in the loft. Later, Tom guides a handy homeowner through installing a seamless patch to his hardwood floor to cover the spot where an interior wall once stood. [26 minutes]

Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner improve the quality of her drinking water by installing an under-sink filter. Richard and host Kevin O'Connor are then joined in the loft by water filtration expert Bill McTighe who explains several other types of residential water filters. Off on a House call, landscape contractor Roger Cook advises a homeowner in selecting a drought-resistant tree and gives her a hand planting it properly in her sloped front yard. [26 minutes]

General contractor Tom Silva shows a homeowner how to remove moss and lichen from his shade-covered roof and keep them from coming back. Then Tom, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Roger Cook and host Kevin O'Connor ask, "What is it?" in the ASK THIS OLD HOUSE loft. Next, Richard shows Kevin how to repair a leaky valve by replacing the washer and valve seat. On a HOUSE call, Roger helps a homeowner plant shade-loving groundcover under a 100-year-old beech tree. [26 minutes]